XLena: Did it work, do you think?Sal: For now, maybe. I paid him another fifty, and he was too distracted chasing after Corinne to make much fuss. But he'll remember. We ain't heard the last of this, you mark my words.Lena: We'll see. And Corinne?Sal: Yeah, yeah, avais eu raison (you were right). As soon as I can find a replacement, she goes. ...What does 'we'll see' mean? Lena: Ah, Twoshot came in, so I dropped a word in his ear. Perhaps our new tete will see fit to stir himself.Sal: You're too casual with them, Lena. This ain't St. Louis, and l'affaire ain't l'milice.Lena: Don't fuss, Sal. I didn't ask a favor or anything. I just mentioned. If anything comes of it -- well, I'll be nearly as surprised as the Inspector.Rafe: Bonsoir.

The city militia of St. Louis (where both Sal and Lena grew up) may have degraded to the point that they are difficult to tell from street gangs, but they still maintain a rough sense of justice and a protective attitude towards the civilian population. Tom Thorn recruited heavily from St. Louis during his rise to power; his 'business' has since taken to occasionally and unexpectedly acting like a frontier police force. This reportedly annoys the hell out of Thorn.

Lucas Martino returns from captivity in the SIB more machine than man, stripped of all the features his government could use to identify him. Have the Allies got a scientist, or an SIB imposter and spy? What makes a man himself?